Distributor for gravity runways



Oct. 9, 1951 T. c. DODGE DISTRIBUTOR F OR GRAVITY RUNWAYS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 29, 1946 moms a. DODGE v IN VEN TOR.

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ATTORNEYS 1951 T. c. DODGE DISTRIBUTOR FOR GRAVITY RUNWAYS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 29, 1946 THOMAS a. DODGE v I INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS' Oct. 9, 1951 T. DOD E 2,570,923

} DISTRIBUTOR FOR GRAVITY RUNWAYS Filed Aug. 29, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 7710MA5 C DODGE Patented Oct. 9, 1951 DISTRIBUTOR FOR GRAVITY RUNWAYS Thomas C. Dodge, Seattle, Wash., assignor to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application August 29, 1946, Serial No. 693,702

2 Claims.

, The following specification relates to an improved can distributor for gravity runways for the purpose of dividing a moving stream of articles such as cans into two or more streams. It is particularly adapted for use in food canning factories. Here canning machines or the like have limited capacities and are fed from a source, or sources, the aggregate capacity of which may be in excess of what the machines can take. Under such circumstances it is important to be'able to control the delivery of articles such as empty cans'so that the machines receiving them can be supplied at full capacity but at the same time excess supply may be withheld or diverted.

The invention is applicable as well to supplying or feeding cans at definite capacities from a plurality of sources aggregating greater capacity than the capacity of the discharge receiving chutes.

.One of the objects of my invention is to, supply two or more gravity chutes with cans in accordance with their individual demands and from one or moresources having a total capacity;. generally equal to or exceeding the combined capacityof the chutes. For example, if there are two machines or lines of machines each requiring 300 cans per minute and the cans are supplied from a single runway delivering 600 cans per minute, this supply will be distributed or divided in accordance with the individual demands of the machines. Again, where the said two lines of machines are supplied from two sources supplying 400 and 200 cans per minute respectively, the distribution is made accordingly.

More specifically, it is a purpose of my invention to deliver cans from the main source to one gravity chute up to its limit or capacity and thereafter divert the cans to a second gravity chute until the latter is fully loaded.

It is a further object of-my invention to resume delivery of articles in whichever of the two gravity chutes the supply can then be received. h

A still further object of my invention is to arrest flow of cans to the lower gravity chute from the lower feed chute when that chute is filled and to arrest the flow of cans from the ments and electrical circuits preferred. Thus in the drawings: 1 I Fig. 1 is a schematic side elevation of my improved distributor in position for delivering cans to the upper discharge chute;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same when delivering cans to a lower chute;

Fig.3 is a side elevation with parts removed, of the gate mechanism in the position illustrated in Fig. 2; r

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the gate mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section on the line -5--5 of Fig. 3, and I Fig. 6 is a diagram of the electric control circuits when the gate is lowered and both discharge chutes can receive cans.

By way of example, I have shown in the drawings two feed runways. This is on the assumption that the lower runway supplies cans in quantities less than the capacity of the corresponding lower discharge chute and that the additional number required to fill the lower discharge chute to capacity is to be supplied from a second or upper runway. 7

Broadly speaking, however, the invention can be carried out when both discharge chutes are supplied up to their respective capacities from a single supply runway, in thiscase the upper one.

The primary feed runway II, is a gravity conveyor terminating in pivoted gate I2. The end of this gate I2, is parallel with, but above, the upper discharge chute I3, receiving rolling cans C when the gate is in the upper position 'as shown in Figure 1.

I5 is also supplying cans and the aggregate of cans supplied by both II and I5 is no greater than can be received and disposed of by the lower'discharge chute I4 during normal operation.

vAs soon, however, as cans accumulate in the lower discharge'chute II; the treadle or trap switch IS in the lower discharge chute drops by the weight of the accumulated cans and sets in motion the lifting of gate I2 from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that illustrated in Fig. 1.

The feed from the supply runway II is, thereafter, entirely delivered to upper discharge chute I3 as long as the supply does not exceed the capacity of the latter to dispose of If, during this period, there is an independent atvdeee tracks along which the cans C roll. The channel bars 20, 25 together constitute the lower feed run way I as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

A cover plate 21 overlies the runway through the upper part of the switching area, that is beneath the gate 12. The lower extension of the channel bars 25, forms the .lower discharge chute [4. The discharge chute 14 has an upturned guard plate 22 which prevents the cans from piling up and forces them to travel in single file.

If desired, the upper portion of chute l4'may include theconveyor belt 23, mounted on pulleys 24 and 25, which, when driven, will prevent cans from'accumulating in that portion of the discharge. r I

Suitably supported on the structure are similar'channel bars 25, 25 forming the upper feed runway H.

The end of the runway H terminates with a pivoted shaft 2?. A similar transverse pivoted shaft-28 is loosely journaled on the top member 11 above shaft 2'5.

similar arm 3| on the upper transverse shaft 28. In this way shafts 2'! and 28 oscillate together. Lower shaft 27 has a pair of parallel bars .32 which form an extension of the track members '26, 26. A pair of similar bars 33 is mounted on upper shaft 28 in position to move parallel with bars 32. In their raised position, bars 32 form a continuation of feed runway H and partially bridge the gap to the upper discharge chute l3. There is, however, sufficient gap to permit cans to fall through while the gate is moving and thus not block the gate.

One end of the shaft 28 has a crank arm 34 to which is connected a link 35. This, in turn, is connected to an armature or plunger 36 which is loosely carried axially of the electro-magnet or solenoid 31. When the solenoid is deen'ergized, the weight of the gate [2 and the cans passing over it, is suificient to bring the gate into the lower position shown in Fig. 2.

Suitably spaced beyond the front section of the discharge chute I4 there is a vertically movable treadle it of conventional and well-known design. This treadle, pivoted at its right end as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is connected at its free end to a bell crank 38. This bell crank is loosely pivoted below the chute l4 and carries a dependent bar 89.

The bar 39 has a series of electric switches operated by change in inclination. I have illustrated these as being mercury switches 48, 4| and '42. When the treadle I6 is in its upper position, switches 45, 41 and 42 are open. Treadle I6 is designed to sustain the weight of the normal stream of cans but to be depressed when the cans accumulate as shown in Fig. 1. When the treadle is down under the weight of the accumulated cans, switches 40, 4| and 42 are allclosed.

The upper discharge chute I3 is formed by a part of the channel bars 43, 44 (Fig. 5). These :are slightly below the level of the track members mercury switches.

The lower shaft 21 has an 7 arm 29. This arm has a link connected to a t 26, 26 of the upper feed runway II, but are design d to catch the cans as they roll off the bars 32, 32 (Fig. 1).

Suitably spaced beyond the front part of the discharge chute l3, there is a second treadle 45 similar in design and function to treadle IS. A bell crank lever 45 pivoted below chute I3 is operatedby treadle 45. Thelever 46 has a dependent arm 4Tholding three electric switches 48, 49, 59. These are also shown, by way of exampla'as They are so arranged that when treadle 45 is in the upper position, switches 49 and 50 are closed, 48 is open (Fig. 6) and when the treadle is lowered by the weight of accumulated cans as in Fig. 2, then switch 48 is closed but the others are open.

Suitably held on one end of shaft 27 is a casing 52 which contains .a mercury switch 53. This switch 53 is arranged to be open in the position shown in Fig. 3 with the gat l2 lowered. However, when the armature or core 35 is drawn in by the solenoid SI-Qthelinkage oscillates shaft 21 counter-clockwise and serves-to close switch 53.

Slightly in advance of gate 12, there is an electro-magnet 54 arranged'above the feed runi- Way H. A similar electro-magnet 55is also-arranged above runway l5. Each magnet has a core 56. These cores are connected to pivoted original position bygravity, counterweights or springs.

Normal operation with a single supply of cans from the feed runway ll only, is represented in its initial stage by Fig. 2. Here the gate I2 is down and the stream of cans from the upper feed runway II is dropped on to the lower discharge chute [4. If a minor supply 'Iof cans is fed through runway I5, both streams merge and are held into asingle line by the guard 22'.

The cans pass through the discharge chute I4 as they are used or disposed of. Eitherthe feed from the upper feed runway I! alone or that supplementing the feed from the lower runway [5 will be more than sufficient for thedemand through the discharge chute 4. As a result, cans will accumulate in i4 as shown in Fig. 1 and the weight will depress treadle l6 throwing switches 4B, 4! and 42 into the position indicated in Fig. 6.

In Fig. 6 I have indicated by the vertical arrows the positions of the treadles and associated switches. Thus treadle 45 is up and treadle I5 is depressed (as shown on Fig. 1) The circuits are adapted to be fed with either alternate or direct current through the conductors 59 and 6B. 'When using direct current, '59 is assumed to be positive. When alternating. current is used,. feed line 60 should be the grounded side.

Briefly speaking, the switches are arranged'to provide alternate, parallel or shunt circuits to the several solenoids. Thus lead 59 is connected directly to solenoids 3?, 5,4 and 55, and thesolenoids are individually connected tothe opposite lead 60 through appropriate switches.

With the treadle 15 down, switches 40, 4| and 42 are all closed. Switch 42 energizes solenoid 55 resultingin forcing the stop 58 down to arrest further delivery of cans from the lower source l5.

Switches and 4| lead to the terminals of armature 53 and switch 50 respectively so that those circuits will be closed while the treadle is up.

With the treadle 45 up, switch is closed so that 31 is energized and the gate [2 lifted to direct the cans in upper runway llto upper discharge l3.

At the same time current through closed switch 49 passes to solenoid 31 and holds it energized even though the treadle I6 should rise and break the circuit through 4 I.

Switch 48 acts on depression of treadle 45 to energize the stop solenoid 54. When this occurs the gate [2 is dropped due to break in the circuits at 49 and50.

It will be clear that the circuits operate variously dependent upon whether one or both treadles are depressed.

In the several conditions wherein one or the other discharge chutes can receive articles, the stop in the upper feed runway is inoperative. Thus when the lower discharge chute is receiving cans, the supply comes from the upper feed runway supplemented if desired by the, supply from the lower feed runway. When the lower discharge chute is filled to capacity the supply from the upper runway is diverted to the upper discharge chute and the can stop in the lower chute operates until this chute again requires cans.

On loading the upper discharge chute, the gate drops to deliver cans to the lower discharge chute if the latter is able to receive them. If not, the

gate remains up and both circuits to the solenoids 54, will then be closed and the supply from both sources cut ofi.

By the arrangements outlined above, a flexible yet simple and efficient means is provided to distribute articles such as cans from either one or two sources between two discharge chutes according to their respective capacities. In the example first stated, it is possible to make an even distribution from a single source or from two unequal sources and to arrest delivery when capacity is reached. The same facilities are suitable to carrying out the purpose when a different number of supply sources or discharge chutes are needed.

Changes in arrangement, specific description of the several operating units and other minor structural or operative details are, of course, possible within the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

What I claim is;

l. A distributor for gravity runways comprising a feed runway, a pair of superimposed discharge chutes, a gate pivoted to the feed runway and oscillatable between the discharge chutes, a solenoid and an armature therefor, means operated by said armature when the solenoid is energized, for lifting and holding the gate in an inclined raised position for delivery of articles from the feed runway to the upper discharge chute, a switch operated by an accumulation of articles in the lower discharge chute for energizing the solenoid, a second switch operated by an accumulation of articles in the upper discharge chute for de-energizing the solenoid and a third switch operated by upward movement of the gate to bypass current to the solenoid around said second switch.

2. A distributor for gravity runways comprising a pair of superimposed feed runways, a pair of superimposed discharge chutes, the lower runway delivering direct to the lower discharge chute, a gate pivoted to the upper feed runway and in its lowered position delivering articles from said upper feed runway to the lower discharge runway, a solenoid and an armature therefor, means operated by said armature when the solenoid is energized, for lifting and holding the gate in an inclined raised position for delivery of articles from the upper feed runway to the upper discharge chute, a treadle in the lower discharge chute having a switch for energizing the solenoid, a treadle in the upper discharge chute having a switch for tie-energizing the solenoid, an electro-magnetically operated stop in each feed runway, and a switch on each treadle, said switches connected in series to close the circuits through the stop electro-magnets when both treadles are depressed.

THOMAS C. DODGE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 405,088 Ferguson June 11, 1889 1,806,879 Lindgren May 26, 1931 2,037,931 Schmidt Apr. 21, 1936 2,312,060 Kimball Feb. 23, 1943 

